Tank turret for automatic weapons

ABSTRACT

A housing for automatic weapons used in supporting a rapid fire cannon having a turret body that includes a removable portion. A pair of trunnions is disposed in the turret body. The weapon carrier is pivotably supported in and is disposed between the pair of trunnions. Bearing support means support the trunnions perpendicularly to the fixed turret axis. The bearing support means have a upper half and a lower half. The upper half is connected to the turret&#39;&#39;s removable portion. The lower half is connected to the turret body. Means for detachably securing the turret&#39;&#39;s removable portion to the turret body is utilized so that the cannon may be removed from the housing by separating the turret&#39;&#39;s removable portion from the turret body.

Elnite tates Patent Schiele Dec. 17, 1974 TANK TURRET FOR AUTOMATICWEAPONS- [75] Inventor: August Schiele, Augsburg, Germany [73] Assignee:Keller & Knappich Augsburg Zweigniederlassung der Inudstrie-WeikeKarlsruhe Augsburg Aktiengesellschaft, Augsburg, Germany [22] Filed:Apr. 11, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 350,234

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 20, 1972 Germany 7219032 [52]US. Cl. 89/36 K, 89/37 E, 89/37 K [51] Int. Cl F41f 21/06, F4lf 23/10[58] Field of Search 89/36 H, 36 K, 37 E, 37 K, 89/40 B [56] ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 814.859 3/1906 Meigs et al 89/37 E 3,759,1369/1973 Fammler 89/36 K FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 1,193,399 5/1965Germany 89/36 K 447,340 7/1971 Germany 89/37 E Primary ExaminerStephenC. Bentley Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Allison C. Collard [57] ABSTRACT Ahousing for automatic weapons used in supporting a rapid fire cannonhaving a turret body that includes a removable portion. A pair oftrunnions is disposed in the turret body. The weapon carrieris'pivotably supported in and is disposed between the pair of trunnions.Bearing support means support the trunnions perpendicularly to the fixedturret axis. The bearing support means have a upper half and a lowerhalf. The upper half is'connected to the turrets removable portion. Thelower half is connected to the turret body.

Means for detachably securing the turrets removable portion to theturretbody is utilized so that the cannon may be removed from the housing byseparating the turrets removable portion from the turret body.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAYENTEU 43171974 SHEE? 3 OF 4 Fig. 3

.1 TANK TURRET FOR AUTOMATIC WEAPONS This invention relates to a tankturret that rotates about a fixed axis and is used in supporting anautomatic weapon. More particularly, the present invention relates to arapid fire cannon support that is pivotably mounted between twotrunnions. I

, In prior apparatus the bearings for the weapon trunnions are mountedunderneath the tank turret roof. These trunnions are accessible onlyfrom the inside of the turret. The crowded installation of the tankturret parts makes access to the trunnions difficult. Often times theonly way the trunnions can be reached is by completely dismantling theturret. This makes weapon maintenance and repair a cumbersome, timeconsumming and expensive operation.

According to the present invention the bearing support means for thetrunnions are separable. Thus, the present invention utilizes an upperbearing portion comprising a single piece and connects to adjacentportions of the tank turret. Consequently the upper portion of theturret can be easily removed. The invention makes it possible to removethe weapon by upwardly lifting it from the tank turret. This isaccomplished by merely loosening and removing the upper portions of thebearing support means. It may be done without removing any other partsfrom the turret before the weapon itself is removed. That removableportion of the tank turret together with the upper portions of thebearing support means should be large enough so that other partsconnected to the weapon carrier may be removed without dismantling, theentire turret. These other parts may include the cartridge beltsuppliers and discharge means for spent cartridges. In rapid firecannons the discharge means is mounted within the hollow trunnions andoccupies the entire width between them. The cartridges are dischargedlaterally from the space between the trunnions.

In a further embodiment of the invention concept, weapon accessibilityis increased further by having the weapon carrier supplied with apivotable plate in addition to pivoting the mount supporting the weapon.Consequently, it is possible to carry out repair and maintenance withoutdismantling the weapon carrier.

scription considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It isto be understood, however, that the drawings are designed for thepurposes of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits ofthe invention to which reference should be made to the appended claims.

In the drawings wherein similar reference characters denote similarelements throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section in the plane of the trunnion axis showingthe tank turret;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the tank turret with the opened pivotal plateand the pivoted weapon mount;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view according to FIG. 2 with both trunnionbearings and weapon carrier removed; and,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tank turret and weapon carrier.

Referring now to the FIGS. 1-4, there is shown a portion of a tankturret 1 extending above the ceiling of a tank vehicle a having wheelsb. A weapon:carrier 3 is mounted in turret l by means of two trunnions 2and bearing support means 4, 4'. An elevation means 5 effects rotationof weapon carrier 3 about the trunnion axis. As shown, mount 6 for arapid fire cannon 7 is supported in weapon carrier 3. A cartridge beltsupplier 8 for live cartridges 9, and a discharge means 10 for emptycartridges (not shown) are arranged on both sides of weapon mount 6 soas to be within hollow trunnions 2. Thus, the cartridges dischargelaterally with respect to the space between the two trunnions. Weaponchamber 11 of tank turret l is sealed from a combat chamber 12 by a wall13.

Bearing support means for trunnions 2 are separated into an upper half 4and a lower half 4. Lower half 4 is an integral part of tank turretbody 1. Upper half 4 is integrally formed with adjacent areas orportions 1' of tank turret 1. Upper half 4 and adjacent areas orportions 1' may be easily lifted from tank turret 1. Nuts and bolts (notshown) connect members 1' and 4' with members 1 and 4. These bolts areaccessible partly from the inside and partly from the outside of thetank turret 1. As shown, weapon carrier 3 having weapon mount 6 withweapon 7 along with the other parts, for example, cartridge beltsupplier 8, and shell discharge means 10 may be lifted from the turretl. Thisis accomplished by merely loosening the aforesaid nuts and boltsand removing bearing support section 4' and portion 1. As may be seen inFIG. 3, removal of the weapon and its associated support apparatus isachieved without dismantling any other parts of the tank turret. Removalrequires onlyseparation of the supply lines (not shown) from their quickcouplings (not shown). I

Referring now to FIG. 2, access to weapon 7 is provided by a pivotedplate 14 that is mounted on an upper portion of weapon carrier 3. Plate14 pivots at joint 15. Weaponmount 6 may pivot outwardlyfrom weaponcarrier 3 by means of joint 16. Two rest positions are provided in thepivoting swing of the weapon mount.

The dashed line shows the weapon position used for repair andmaintenance. Consequently, repair and maintenance may be done from anyside. To exchange a weapon, the weapon swung to the position of thedashdot line.

While only several embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those persons skilled in the artthat many changes and modifications may be made thereunto withoutdeparting fromthe spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is: p l. A housing for automatic weapons usedinsupporting a cannon comprising in combination: a turret .body having aremovable portion;

a pair of trunnions disposed in said turret body; a weapon carrierpivotably supported in and disposed between said pair of trunnions; aweapon mount pivotably supported in said weapon carrier, said weaponcarrier further comprising a rotatable plate pivotable about the frontof said weapon carrier allowing access to the cannon; separable bearingsupport means supporting the trunnions perpendicularly to the fixedturret axis, said separable means having an upper half and a lower half,the upper half being affixed rigidly to said turrets removable portion,the lower half being affixed rigidly to said turret body; and means fordetachably securing said turrets removable portidn to said turret bodyso that the cannon may be removed from the housing by separating saidturrets removable portion from said turret body.

1. A housing for automatic weapons used in supporting a cannoncomprising in combination: a turret body having a removable portion; apair of trunnions disposed in said turret body; a weapon carrierpivotably supported in and disposed between said pair of trunnions; aweapon mount pivotably supported in said weapon carrier, said weaponcarrier further comprising a rotatable plate pivotable about the frontof said weapon carrier allowing access to tHe cannon; separable bearingsupport means supporting the trunnions perpendicularly to the fixedturret axis, said separable means having an upper half and a lower half,the upper half being affixed rigidly to said turret''s removableportion, the lower half being affixed rigidly to said turret body; andmeans for detachably securing said turret''s removable portion to saidturret body so that the cannon may be removed from the housing byseparating said turret''s removable portion from said turret body.
 2. Ahousing for automatic weapons as recited in claim 1 wherein saidsecuring means comprises a plurality of bolts detachably securing saidturret''s removable portion to said turret body.
 3. A housing forautomatic weapons as recited in claim 2 wherein said weapon mount ispivotable in a downward direction to a position allowing the cannon tobe repaired and exchanged from the housing.
 4. A housing for automaticweapons as recited in claim 3 wherein a plurality of bearing races aredisposed between said separable bearing support means and said pair oftrunnions.